Photos courtesy of ASK (DVD) Productions
Shane Macdonald travelled to Mothar Mountain Speedway in Gympie on Saturday night (15th December) to fight it out in the T-Mac Auto Spares Modified Production Challenge.  Shane come away with the victory in the 25 lap final in what was his first feature race win in Modified Production.  Macdonald had fallen second best for many races throughout the last two seasons, and it was great to finally be first across the line up against such a quality field.

Heat one of the night saw Macdonald start from position two beside Steve Collins.  Macdonald raced Collins into the first turn and took the lead.  Macdonald held onto the lead for a few laps until Shane fell back several positions as Gavin Lorensen made his way into the lead.  Todd Doyle then moved past Macdonald followed by Mark Raymont and Glenn Pagel.  With all the fast local guys in the first heat, Macdonald wasn't going to have it easy.  Shane fought his way past Pagel back into 4th across the finish line.

Starting from position four in the second heat, the green flag waved as Macdonald settled into 4th place.  Tom Johnson, Colin Hockley and Kane Heidke come together out of the hairpin, and Macdonald went straight up the middle missing all the carnage and into the lead.  The race was restarted with a car stranded on the track.  Kane Heidke led the field away with Hockley in second and Macdonald third.  Hockley moved into the lead with Macdonald following suit into second.  Shane made his way into the lead only to have Hockley fight back up the inside for the lead.  Macdonald picked his line and dived up the inside coming into the hairpin and come out with the lead.  Macdonald went on to win with Hockley not far behind in second.

Starting out of 4th in heat three, Macdonald got a good run and squeezed between Steve Thomsen and Kane Heidke who started off the front row into the first two turns.  Miraculously Macdonald held onto it and race into the lead into the bottom hairpin.  Shane drove to victory with Mark Raymont 2nd.

Shane qualified out of position two with local Gavin Lorensen on pole.  Mark Raymont started from position three followed by Gary Maroske, Todd Doyle and Glenn Pagel.  As Lorensen and Macdonald raced each other into the first turn, Lorensen on the inside and Macdonald on the outside.  Shane had no fear and stayed on high side around the top of the mountain and had enough speed to be first into the hairpin.  Macdonald charged ahead in the 25 lap feature race and kept a few car lengths lead over Lorensen for the entirety of the race, as he made his way through lapped traffic, Lorensen wasn't close enough to make a move.  Mark Raymont finished in third with Paul Hussey fourth and Colin Hockley fifth. Australian Champion Todd Doyle was 4th until he got put to the rear of the field after causing an incident with Mark Raymont and Gavin Lorensen.

Shane took the checkered flag around in what was biggest win in Modified Production.  "This track is hard to master, we struggled the first few times we come here, but there's something about it that brings us back" Macdonald said.  To beat home all the locals at this track, is a credit within itself.

The next meeting for Shane is unsure at this stage, as the last two months have been very hectic to say the least.  Stay tuned to the website for more info.